Capítulo 38: Liana’s Day Off (Part 2) ( 38 )

Liana woke up at her usual early hour, her body accustomed to the routine she had followed for years. Without a second thought, she began her day as always—showering, tying her silver hair neatly, and donning her maid uniform.

Standing before the mirror, she adjusted her collar and smoothed out any wrinkles in her uniform, nodding in satisfaction. She felt ready for another day of service.

It wasn't until she stepped into the bustling maid dining room that reality struck.

"Liana?" Gloria's voice called out sharply, catching her attention. The head maid stood with her arms crossed, her gaze narrowing at Liana's impeccable attire.

"Yes?" Liana replied, tilting her head slightly, confused by Gloria's tone.

"Didn't I tell you yesterday? Today is your day off."

Liana blinked, then realization dawned on her. "Huh? Oh…" she muttered, her voice trailing off. "I forgot."

Gloria sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Liana, go change your outfit. You don't need to wear the maid uniform today. Just rest for once."

"But—"

"No buts," Gloria interjected firmly, cutting her off. "This is non-negotiable. Go."

"Oh… Okay," Liana relented reluctantly, fiddling with the edge of her apron. "By the way… where's Young Master Javier?"

Gloria's glare was enough to make Liana freeze in place.

"Uh… I'm going to eat breakfast first," Liana mumbled quickly, retreating toward the table to avoid further scolding.

As she sat down to eat with the other maids, a thought nagged at her: What was Javier up to without her?

After finishing breakfast, Liana made her way back to her room. She stood in front of her wardrobe for a moment, her hands trailing over the neatly arranged clothes. With a sigh, she removed her maid uniform and carefully hung it back in its place.

Changing into a simple but elegant casual outfit—a light cream tunic paired with a soft green skirt—she tied her hair into a loose braid, letting a few strands frame her face. It was rare for her to dress casually, and she felt oddly self-conscious.

Once dressed, she grabbed a book from the small shelf in her room and threw herself onto the bed, lying down with her legs crossed at the ankles.

She flipped through the pages half-heartedly, unable to focus.

"What a boring day off…" she muttered to herself, closing the book and resting it on her chest. She stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

I wonder what Young Master Javier is up to… Is he behaving himself? Or has he already caused trouble for the household maids?

She sighed deeply. "Haaa… I'm bored..."

Her gaze drifted to the window, where sunlight streamed through, inviting her to do something—anything—but she hesitated. Maybe I should take a walk in the garden… or visit the town… but still...

A small voice in the back of her mind reminded her: This is your chance to rest, Liana. Take it.

But rest didn't come easily when her thoughts kept returning to a certain mischievous young master.

Liana sat up on her bed with a long sigh, the book sliding to the side. Maybe I should check in with the household maids. If they're planning to go into town, I might as well join them. At least it'll keep me busy.

She slipped on a comfortable pair of flats and tied a light shawl around her shoulders before stepping out of her room.

The moment she opened the door, the commotion outside hit her like a gust of wind.

"Young Master Javier! Where are you?!"

"Catch me if you can!" Javier's laughter echoed through the halls, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps and what sounded suspiciously like the clattering of pots.

Liana's eyes twitched slightly as she pressed her fingers to her temple. What is he up to now?

"Young master! Stop running in the halls!" a maid's voice pleaded from a distance, sounding out of breath.

Another burst of laughter.

Liana closed her eyes, taking a deep breath to center herself. Ignore it, ignore it, Liana. It's your day off. This is not your problem today.

With that word repeating inside her mind, she turned on her heel and strode down the corridor in the opposite direction of the chaos.

Her destination? The household maids' quarters. Let Gloria and the others handle it. I'm going to enjoy my day off, today.

Liana paused mid-step, her ears picking up the faint yet unmistakable sound of her young master's laughter echoing through the manor. It was carefree, mischievous, and accompanied by the frantic shouts of maids desperately trying to rein him in.

"Young Master! It's time for study! Miss Gloria is waiting!" one maid yelled, clearly at her wit's end.

"Bleeekkk" Javier's playful taunt bounced through the halls, followed by more laughter and what sounded suspiciously like the clatter of furniture being moved—or knocked over.

Liana rubbed her temples, exhaling slowly as she muttered to herself, "I think there are... what, six? No, seven maids assigned to him today." Her tone was utterly monotone, though a hint of amusement threatened to slip through.

She resumed her steady stride toward the maids' quarters, shaking her head. Let them handle it. It's their turn today.

Still, the noise behind her grew louder, a clear sign that Javier was evading capture with ease. As much as she wanted to ignore it, she couldn't help but picture the scene in her mind: her young master, darting around with his usual agility while the maids stumbled over themselves trying to keep up.

Liana allowed herself the faintest smirk. "I think they'll manage. Hopefully." But deep down, she knew it wouldn't be an easy day for them. Good luck, ladies....

As Liana approached the maid quarters, the maids lounging inside greeted her politely. While they relaxed, they couldn't help but show a subtle deference, knowing Liana's higher rank as Javier's personal maid.

"Any of you going to town or anywhere else today?" Liana asked casually, glancing around at the group.

One of the maids, mid-yawn, shook her head. "No, Miss Liana. Err... we were just planning to rest. Maybe nap all day and eat snacks." The other maids murmured in agreement, clearly content with their lazy plans.

"Alright, enjoy your day," Liana said with a small sigh, already sensing there'd be no exciting outings to join.

With nothing better to do, she made her way to the pekko pen. As she approached, she noticed the cheerful squawking of the two vibrant birds, their orange feathers glinting in the morning light. These weren't just any pekko—one belonged to her, and the other was her young master's.

She stopped by the feed barrels, measuring out their portions with practiced ease. "Sigh… Why am I doing this? It's not even my turn today."

Yet, as she placed the feed into their troughs, a soft smile tugged at her lips. Watching the two pekko eagerly gobble up their meal, she felt a faint warmth. "Here, here. Eat up," she said softly.

The birds squawked happily, their wide eyes bright with gratitude. Liana reached out to pat her pekko's smooth feathers, chuckling as it leaned into her touch. "Are you having good day?," she murmured, momentarily forgetting her earlier grumbles.

For a brief moment, everything felt peaceful. Even if her day off wasn't as eventful as she'd imagined, this small chore brought her a surprising sense of calm.

Liana strolled leisurely around the manor grounds, her casual outfit and calm demeanor a stark contrast to the chaos unfolding nearby. She paused when she spotted Gloria, the head maid, panting and looking thoroughly exasperated, surrounded by several equally tired household maids.

"Young Master!!! Please don't run! Haa… haa…" Gloria called out, her voice cracking slightly from exertion.

Behind her, a few other maids huffed and puffed, clutching their sides or leaning on nearby furniture for support. Their faces were red, their hair frazzled, and their patience clearly worn thin.

From somewhere in the distance came the sound of laughter—Javier unmistakable, mischievous chuckle. He was clearly enjoying his little game of hide-and-seek, leaving the maids scrambling in his wake.

Liana shook her head, a bemused smile playing on her lips. She had warned them. "They underestimated him," she muttered, watching as the maids regrouped for another attempt.

One of the younger maids, clutching the hem of her skirt, panted heavily. "Miss Liana, how do you deal with this every day?"

Liana shrugged, a small smirk forming. "You learn to keep up. Or stop trying to catch him at all."

As she turned to leave, the maids looked at her with a mix of awe and resignation. Gloria, now slumped against a wall, shot her a pleading look.

"You're not going to help us?"

Liana waved them off, her expression calm but teasing. "Oh no, I'm on my day off. Good luck."

She walked away, leaving the hapless maids to their futile chase. From the corner of her eye, she spotted a flash of black hair darting behind a tree, followed by muffled giggles. Suppressing a laugh, she murmured, "Let them handle it."

( End Of Chapter )